In this follow-up to the Edgar-nominated Spy School, top-secret training continues into summer for aspiring spy Ben Ripley—and so does the danger.Ben Ripley is a middle-schooler whose school is...

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In this follow-up to the Edgar-nominated Spy School, top-secret training continues into summer for aspiring spy Ben Ripley—and so does the danger.Ben Ripley is a middle-schooler whose school is not exactly average—he’s spent the last year training to be a top-level spy and dodging all sorts of associated danger. So now that summer’s finally here, Ben would like to have some fun and relax. But that’s not going to happen during required spy survival training at a rustic wilderness camp, where SPYDER, an enemy spy organization, has infiltrated the spies’ ranks. Can Ben root out the enemy before it takes him out—for good?

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From the book

CONTACT

CIA Academy of Espionage

Washington, DC

Armistead Dormitory

June 10

1500 hours

On the very last day of spy school, my plans for a normal, uneventful summer were completely derailed by the delivery of two letters.

The first was waiting in my room when I returned from my final exam in self-preservation. I had already packed all my belongings, hoping to make a quick exit from campus. The note was perched atop the pile of suitcases.

Benjamin--

Come see me at once.

--the principal

Up to that point, I'd been having a good day.

To start with, I felt positive about all my exams. I'd been working hard at the academy and had improved in all my classes in the months since I'd arrived. I had jammed on my History of Espionage final, aced Codes and Cryptography, and squeaked through Basic Firearms and Weaponry. (I hadn't scored any bull's-eyes, but unlike some of my fellow first years, I'd at least hit the targets and not accidentally wounded myself.) I'd been most concerned about Intro to Self-Preservation, which had always been my weakest class, though that afternoon I had managed to last for over an hour on the training grounds against a dozen "enemy agents" armed with paintball guns, while much of my class had been smeared with royal blue before five minutes were up. I figured that had to be good for at least an A-minus.

Now, I was relieved to be done with class for the summer. Although I'd miss my friends from the Academy of Espionage, I was eager to head home, see my parents, and have a decent home-cooked meal for the first time in five months. Plus, my thirteenth birthday was only a week away. I'd made plans to spend it with some old friends, without anyone trying to kill or maim me.

The note, however, suggested there was trouble ahead.

I picked it up gingerly, as though it were explosive. Frankly, I would have preferred finding a bomb in my room. I knew how to handle a bomb. The principal, on the other hand, was far more unpredictable.

I dropped the note in my paper shredder, then burned the remains. It seemed like overkill, but this was standard procedure for all written correspondence at the Academy of Espionage, even Post-it notes. Then I set off for the principal's office.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly, heralding a glorious summer. The academy, which had looked so bleak and dreary in the winter, was now far more attractive. The gothic buildings stood majestically around gorgeous green lawns fringed with flowers. Now that classes had ended, my fellow spies-in-training were reveling in the warm weather. I spotted several friends playing Ultimate Frisbee on the main commons and could hear the distinct rattle of semiautomatic weapons on the firing range in the distance.

"Hey, Smokescreen!" a shrill voice called out. It was Zoe Zibbell, a fellow first year and my best friend, who was with a large group of students. Zoe had christened me "Smokescreen" as she was under the delusion that I was an incredibly talented spy--albeit a spy who often feigned incompetence to make everyone else underestimate him. Any time I displayed my actual incompetence, Zoe inevitably thought it was a ruse. "We're getting up a soccer game on Hammond Quadrangle! Want to play?"

"I can't," I said, then pointed to the Nathan Hale Administration Building. "The principal wants to see me."

Zoe grimaced. So did all the other students. It looked as though I'd told them I had to go face a firing squad. "Is something wrong?"

"I hope not," I said.

"Well, if you feel like it, come find us afterward!" Zoe said, trying her best to be upbeat. "We could...

About the Author-

Stuart Gibbs is the author of the FunJungle and Moon Base Alpha series, as well as the New York Times bestselling Spy School series. He has written the screenplays for movies like See Spot Run and Repli-Kate, worked on a whole bunch of animated films, developed TV shows for Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, ABC, and Fox. Stuart lives with his wife and children in Los Angeles. You can learn more about what he's up to at StuartGibbs.com.

Reviews-

elliotl20 - This book is basically the follow up to the first book, Spy School. The main character still has to fight the enemy organization that was fighting against him in the first book, he is still being chased by them but this time in the wild. My favorite part in the book is when Ben finds out that Alexander Hale was assigned to protect him and he was the only one who knew the truth about him. I would recommend this book to everyone and the type of people I would recommend this book to are the people that like comedy and adventure.

March 15, 2013Having survived his first year at the CIA Academy of Espionage (Spy School, 2012), 12-year-old Benjamin Ripley is looking forward to heading home for an assassin-free summer vacation with his family and old friends. That was the plan anyway. Instead, Ben is headed to Spy Camp, a "wilderness education facility," and the nefarious organization SPYDER is once again hot on his trail. The title of the novel is a bit misleading, as Ben hardly spends any time at the Happy Trails Sleepaway Camp for Boys and Girls. On the day he arrives, Ben receives a mysterious letter from SPYDER offering him the opportunity to lend his "special skills" to their efforts or be killed. And if it weren't for 15-year-old Erica Hale, Ben's secret crush and the "savviest spy-to-be" at Spy School, Ben would likely be facing certain death. Gibbs' screenwriter roots are evident in the explosive action sequences as Erica assumes responsibility for saving Ben and dashing SPYDER's evil plans. Unfortunately, Ben is often overshadowed by Erica's fearlessness and superior spy skills. Readers may find themselves scratching their heads every now and again over who is the true protagonist and whether or not Ben has what it takes for a future in espionage. Still, the quirky cast of characters, witty dialogue and high-stakes action make for an entertaining read that will likely satisfy adrenaline junkies. (Adventure. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2013

Gr 5-7-This companion to Spy School (S & S, 2012) follows 12-year-old Ben as he finishes up his first year of training after being recruited by the CIA, and he now has spy camp to look forward to. Important details from the first book are seamlessly woven into the story. Before Ben even leaves for his wilderness training camp, he discovers an elaborate plot against him. He joins up with Erika, the smartest kid at school, and her bumbling father, the acclaimed agent Alexander Hale, and the three try to figure out how to save what turns out to be not just their lives, but much more. Erika is a strong female character, and the vocabulary throughout is quite sophisticated. However, for a middle-grade book that presents itself as a goofy spy adventure, it borders on having too much realistic violence with kids wielding guns, assassination attempts, hostage situations, and sniper attacks. While there is plenty of violence in children's literature, it's a concern here because the story is set in the real world. That being said, fans of Anthony Horowitz's "Alex Rider" books (Philomel) and kids looking for a thriller will most certainly be drawn to the story.-Kerry Roeder, Professional Children's School, New York City

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

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